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Solid Advice On Getting A Great Lawyer
Picking a reliable lawyer is important for obvious reasons. Someone that knows the law backwards and forwards will be able to help you when you need it the most. Read this article for tips on how to choose the right lawyer for you, despite the reason you may need one.
When it comes to hiring a lawyer, trust is an essential part of the relationship that you want to build. You will want a lawyer that you can feel comfortable with and who seems very capable of handling your case. This may take some time to find, so look carefully!
A good tip if you're looking to bring on a lawyer is to make sure you thoroughly investigate whether or not a certain lawyer will be a good fit. It's generally a good idea to go over a few different lawyers at a time and compare them to each other.
If you believe that you might have a legal case it is a good idea to seek a legal consult before pursuing any action. Many law firms offer a free consultation so make sure that you take advantage of this. This allows you to try out a couple different law firms before deciding on a lawyer.
Make sure that you have a decent interaction with any attorney before you invest any money. You may have to spend a good amount of time with your lawyer, so it is important that you choose one that you don't have any issues working with. Take the time to sit down with any potential attorneys and see if you get a good feel for them.
If you need legal help, don't necessarily use the lawyer you have worked with in the past. You may need a particular type of attorney, someone who specializes in the type of case you are involved in. Don't worry, though. A specialist isn't necessarily expensive, so you should be able to afford what you need.
Do not feel obligated to hire a lawyer because you met a few times and got some useful advice. You should sign a contract only after you agree on fees and feel comfortable with your lawyer. If you are hesitating because you have heard bad things about this lawyer or think the fees are too high, keep looking.
When you believe that you might have a lawsuit, it is tempting to call one of those lawyers in the commercials on television. Although these lawyers are qualified, they might not be allowed to practice law in your state, depending on where they took the BAR exam. It is always good to look into this and read the fine print.
Ask your attorney if there is any task you can personally perform to cut down your expenses. Maybe you can assist in getting the court appearance paperwork ready. If you must get documents at the courthouse, inquire about getting them picked up by yourself so you don't have to pay the law office for it.
Consider using a service to help you find the best lawyer for your case. These services have huge data bases with lists of lawyers in your area. They also retain information that can help you to narrow your search without going door to door. If you are looking for a way to make the process easier, this option is perfect for you.
You really need to understand what you are paying for when you hire a lawyer. These fees can be complicated. You need to make sure you have all these fees in writing up front and that you understand how they are calculated. If you do not, they are required to explain them to you until you do.
Do not allow yourself to judge an attorney based on how good their advertisements are. The reality is that an attorney that is reputable doesn't have to advertise to get new clients. Look into your attorney's background and use what you find to help you make the decision about whether or not to hire them.
Do not automatically rule out a lawyer just because they charge you a fee for their consultation. If check here the time they offer is pretty extensive, and they are willing to give you a good assessment of your case, that is worth paying them a fee for this service. All lawyers that offer free consultations are not always the best.
Use the information you've just digested to help you find the right attorney for your case. You want to win your case, and you don't want to take this decision lightly. Keep everything you've learned in mind as you find the lawyer that you can trust to help you through this time.
Auto insurers play hardball in minor-crash claims
Profitable strategy
The cases, CNN found, illustrate a carefully developed strategy to make the victims look like they are trying to defraud the insurers.
But documents CNN obtained indicate profit, not fraud, is the reason companies decided to play hardball in small accidents.
For Allstate and State Farm, according to documents obtained by CNN, the strategy was developed in the mid-1990s with the assistance of consulting giant McKinsey & Co.
Looking for a way to boost profits, McKinsey focused on soft-tissue injuries incurred in minor crashes.
While the McKinsey documents -- numbered in the thousands -- are under seal in courts around the country, CNN saw several of them during a court hearing in Lexington, Kentucky.
Playing off Allstate's signature slogan, one document recommends the insurer put boxing gloves on its "good hands" for those who insist on going to court.
The strategy, according to former Allstate and State Farm employee Jim Mathis, relies on the three D's -- denying a claim, delaying settlement of the claim and defending against the claim in court.
"The profits are good, and as long as the community, the public allows this to occur, the insurance companies will get richer and people ... will not get a fair and reasonable settlement," Mathis said.
Both Allstate and State Farm declined requests for interviews.
In an e-mail, Allstate wrote it did not believe it would "have any real opportunity of being successful in getting you (CNN) to do a balanced report."
State Farm wrote: "We take customer service seriously and seek to pay what we owe, promptly, courteously and efficiently, and we handle each claim on its own merits."
The company also said, "Any attempt to generalize that State Farm adopted consultant recommendations as other insurers is just plain wrong."
A company spokesman sent an additional e-mail, saying that the company did work with McKinsey to improve claims handling but State Farm stopped using the McKinsey program in 1999.
Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute, told CNN insurers do not have a strategy of blanket denial of claims. He also said strategies to limit expenditures on minor-impact crashes are needed to fight fraud.
Hartwig specifically singled out lawyers who he claims make a living on car accident victims, saying those lawyers are upset because "the gravy train is over."